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Pinjor Formation

Pinjor Formation
Stratigraphic range: Pleistocene
~2.58–0.6 Ma Pleistocene
TypeGeological formation
UnderliesTatrot Formation
Location
Coordinates30°42′N 76°48′E / 30.7°N 76.8°E / 30.7; 76.8
Approximate paleocoordinates29°12′N 77°18′E / 29.2°N 77.3°E / 29.2; 77.3
RegionHaryana, Punjab, India, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Pakistan, Chandigarh
Country India
Pinjor Formation is located in India
Pinjor Formation
Pinjor Formation (India)

The Pinjor Formation is a Cenozoic geologic formation in India. The fossils of mammals are abundant from the formation, with the addition of reptiles, fishes and invertebrates.[1]

Paleobiota

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Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Reptiles

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Pseudosuchians

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It is possible that Rhamphosuchus crassidens and probably Hypselornis sivalensis may have been present in Pinjor Formation.[2]

Pseudosuchians from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Gavialis[3] G. gangeticus WIF/A 459-461, partial craniums. Ambala A gavialid.
G. browni WIF/A 458, maxillary fragment.
Crocodylus[3] C. palaeindicus A/683, cranial rostrum. Naipli A crocodylid.
C. biporcatus A/684, a complete skull.

Turtle

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Turtles from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Megalochelys[3] M. atlas Numerous specimens, including ones referred to M. sivalensis. Known from Plio-Pleistocene deposits of entire Punjab. A large sized testudinid.
cf. Geoclemys[3] cf. G. hamiltonii WIF/A 454, partially preserved carapace and antero-posteriorly broken plastron. Ambala A geoemydid.
Omegachelys[3] O. sahnii WIF/A 451, terminally broken large carapace. Ambala A geoemydid.

Squamates

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Squamates from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Varanus V. sivalensis Distal end of humerus, dorsal vertebrae "Pinjor Zone" A varanid.

Birds

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It is possible that Leptoptilos falconeri and Struthio asiaticus might have been present in Pinjor Formation.[4][5]

Birds from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Aves[6] indet. Potwar Plateau Indeterminate aves.
Struthio S. camelus eggshells fragments Chandigarh region A struthionid.

Mammals

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Eulipotyphla

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Eulipotyphlas from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Chandisorex[7] C. punchkulaensis Chandigarh region A soricid.

Rodent

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Rodents from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Hystrix[7] H. leucurus Chandigarh region A hystricid.
Rattus[7] R. sp. Chandigarh region A murid.
Mus[7] M. linnaeusi Chandigarh region A murid.
cf. M. flynni Chandigarh region A murid.
Hadromys[7] H. loujacobsi Chandigarh region A murid
H. sp. Chandigarh region A murid
Nesokia[7] N. punchkulaensis Chandigarh region A murid
Cremnomys[7] C. blanfordi Chandigarh region A murid
Dilatomys[7] D. sp. Chandigarh region A murid
Golunda[7] G. sp. Chandigarh region A murid
Anepsirhizomys[7] A. pinjoricus Chandigarh region A murid
Tatera[7] T. pinjoricus Chandigarh region A murid
Bandicota[7] B. sp Chandigarh region A murid

Lagomorph

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Lagomorphs from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Pliosiwalagus[7][8] P. sivalensis Chandigarh region A leporid

Primates

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Primates from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Theropithecus[7] T. oswaldi[9] Chandigarh region A cercopithecid.
Procynocephalus[7] P. subhimalayanus Chandigarh region A cercopithecid.
Hominini[10] indeterminate Chandigarh region A hominid.

Felids

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Felids from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Megantereon[7][11] M. falconeri Chandigarh region, Roorkee region A machairodontine felid.
Homotherium[11] H. sp. "Pinjor Faunal Zone" A machairodontine felid.
Dinofelis[7][12] D. cristata Chandigarh region A machairodontine felid, includes cf. Panthera cristata.
Sivapanthera[7] S. potens Chandigarh region A feline felid.
Panthera P. uncia[6] Potwar Plateau A pantherine felid.
Felis[13] F. subhimalayana Upper Siwaliks A feline felid.

Canids

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Canids from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Canis C. pinjorensis[7] Chandigarh region A canine canid.
C. etruscus[6][14] Potwar Plateau and Siwaliks of Dádúpúr.[6][15] A canine canid, includes Canis cautleyi.
Prototocyon[7] P. curvipalatus Chandigarh region A canine canid. Also known from the older Tatrot Formation.

Ursids

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Ursid from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Agriotherium[13] A. sivalensis Kasamuri Rao, Saharanpur of North-Western Provinces and Siwalik Ganges valley neighbourhood.[15][16] A ailuropodine ursid.
Melursus[13] M. theobaldi Kangra district[15] A ursine ursid.

Viverrids

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Viverrids from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Vishnuictis[13] V. durandi Upper Siwalik A viverrine viverrid.
V. sp.[17] Chandigarh region A viverrine viverrid.
Viverra[13] V. bakeri Upper Siwalik A viverrine viverrid.

Mustelids

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Mustelids from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Enhydriodon[13] E. sivalensis Chandigarh region, Potwar Plateau A lutrine mustelid.
Sinictis[13] S. lydekkeri Upper Siwaliks A mustelid
Amblonyx[13] A. indicus Upper Siwaliks A lutrine mustelid.
A. sp. Upper Siwaliks A lutrine mustelid.
Mellivora M. sivalensis[7] Chandigarh region A mellivorine mustelid.
Lutra[13] L. palaeindica Upper Siwaliks A lutrine mustelid.

Hyaenids

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Hyaenids from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Pachycrocuta[7][6] P. brevirostris Chandigarh region, Potwar Plateau A hyaenid.
Crocuta C. sivalensis[13] Upper Siwaliks A hyaenid.
Pliocrocuta[13] P. perrieri Upper Siwaliks A hyaenid.
Hyaenictis[7] H. bosei Chandigarh region A hyaenid.

Proboscideans

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Proboscideans from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Stegodon[7] S. pinjorensis Chandigarh region A stegodontid proboscidean.
S. insignis Chandigarh region A stegodontid proboscidean.
S. sp. Chandigarh region A stegodontid proboscidean.
S. bombifrons Potwar Plateau A stegodontid proboscidean, also known from the older Tatrot Formation.
Elephas[7] E. hysudricus Chandigarh region An elephantid proboscidean.
E. planifrons Chandigarh region An elephantid proboscidean, also known from the older Tatrot Formation.
E. platycephalus Chandigarh region An elephantid proboscidean.
Anancus[7] A. sivalensis Chandigarh region A gomphothere proboscidean, also known from the older Tatrot Formation.
Stegolophodon[7] S. stegodontoides Chandigarh region A stegodontid proboscidean, also known from the older Tatrot Formation.

Rhinocerotids

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Rhinocerotids from the Pinjor Formation
GenusSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Rhinoceros[7] R. sivalensis Chandigarh region A rhinocerotine rhinocerotid.
R. platyrhinus Chandigarh region A large rhinocerotine rhinocerotid, includes Punjabitherium.
R. palaeindicus Chandigarh region A rhinocerotine rhinocerotid.
Subchilotherium[7] S. intermedium Chandigarh region A aceratheriine rhinocerotid. Also known from the older Tatrot Formation.

References

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  1. V. Kumaravel, S. J. Sangode; Rohtash Kumar, N. Siva Siddaiah (2005). "Magnetic polarity stratigraphy of Plio–Pleistocene Pinjor Formation (type locality), Siwalik Group, NW Himalaya, India". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad184.
  2. Martin, J. E. (2019). "The taxonomic content of the genus Gavialis from the Siwalik Hills of India and Pakistan" (PDF). Papers in Palaeontology. 5 (3): 483–497. Bibcode:2019PPal....5..483M. doi:10.1002/spp2.1247. S2CID 134966832.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Srivastava, R., and H. H. Schleich. (2018). "Fossil Turtles and Crocodiles from the Caenozoic of S-Asia". ARCO-Nepal, Muhich, 1-324
  4. Buffetaut, E. (2022). Feduccia, A. (ed.). "The First-Named Fossil Ostrich: A Revision of Struthio asiaticus, from the Siwaliks of India". Diversity. 14 (10): 860. doi:10.3390/d14100860.
  5. Louchart, A., Vignaud, P., Likius, A., Brunet, M., & White, T. D. (2005). A large extinct marabou stork in African Pliocene hominid sites, and a review of the fossil species of Leptoptilos. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 50(3).
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Dennell, R. W.; Coard, R.; Turner, A. (2008). "Predators and scavengers in Early Pleistocene southern Asia". Quaternary International. 192:78-88.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 "Pinjor Formation". indplex.geolex.org. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  8. Patnaik, R. (2002). "Pliocene Leporidae (Lagomorpha, Mammalia) from the Upper Siwaliks of India: Implications for phylogenetic relationships". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22(2):443–452
  9. Getahun, Dagmawit Abebe; Delson, Eric; Seyoum, Chalachew Mesfin (July 2023). "A review of Theropithecus oswaldi with the proposal of a new subspecies". Journal of Human Evolution. 180 103373. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103373. hdl:10150/672281. Retrieved 5 March 2026 via Elsevier Science Direct.
  10. Kaur, A. P.; Saarinen, J.; Patnaik, R.; Chauhan, P. R.; Dennell, R. (2026). "Contextualizing Early to Middle Pleistocene hominin ecology in the Indian Subcontinent". Journal of Quaternary Science. doi:10.1002/jqs.70088.
  11. 1 2 Stimpson, Christopher M. (May 2024). "Siwalik sabrecats: review and revised diagnosis of Megantereon fossils from the foothills of the Himalaya". Royal Society Open Science. 11 (5) 231788. Bibcode:2024RSOS...1131788S. doi:10.1098/rsos.231788. ISSN 2054-5703. PMC 11076117. PMID 38720790.
  12. Werdelin, Lars & Lewis, Margaret E. (2001), "A revision of the genus Dinofelis (Mammalia, Felidae)", Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 132 (2): 147–258, doi:10.1006/zjls.2000.0260
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Jasinski, Steven E.; Abbas, Sayyed Ghyour; Mahmood, Khalid; Babar, Muhammad Adeeb; Khan, Muhammad Akbar (2023-11-02). "New Carnivoran (Mammalia: Carnivora) specimens from the Siwaliks of Pakistan and India and their faunal and evolutionary implications". Historical Biology. 35 (11): 2217–2252.
  14. Garrido, Guiomar; Arribas, Alfonso (2008). "Canis accitanus nov. sp., a new small dog (Canidae, Carnivora, Mammalia) from the Fonelas P-1 Plio-Pleistocene site (Guadix basin, Granada, Spain)". Geobios. 41 (8): 753. Bibcode:2008Geobi..41..751G. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2008.05.002.
  15. 1 2 3 Lydekker, R. (1884). "Siwalik and Narbada Carnivora". Paleontologia Indica, 10:178-135.
  16. Lydekker, R. (1888). "Notes on Indian fossil Vertebrata; the ulna of Hyaenarctos". Records of Geological Survey of India, 21:145-146.
  17. Gaur, R.; Chopra, S. (22 March 1984). "Taphonomy, fauna, environment and ecology of Upper Siwaliks (Plio-Pleistocene) near Chandigarh, India". Nature. 308: 353–355. doi:10.1038/308353a0.